Element positioning means for straight knitting machines



June 21, 1960 J. HELD 2,941,386

ELEMENT POSITIONING MEANS FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I j I IN VEN TOR. 20 Jose ah He/a June 21, 1960 J. HELD 2,941,386

ELEMENT POSITIONING MEANS FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 1957 3 Shepts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jose 0h Held aka/4% June 21, 1960 J. HELD 2,941,386

ELEMENT POSITIONING MEANS FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOK Jase oh H Joseph Held, West Lawn, PZL, assignor to Texti Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 1, 1957, 'Ser. No. 687,528 Claims. (Cl. 66-86) This invention relates to warp knitting machines and more particularly to means for controlling the supporting bars for the knitting and yarn feeding elements of such machines to compensate for the relative linear movements between the bars and frame structure induced by varialions in the temperature of the machine during operation.

In warp knitting and like machines the bars on which the needles, sinker-s and yarn feeding elements are mounted are from seven to fourteen feet in length and the bars must be supported and operated in such a manner as to maintain correct operating relationships between the elements. The bars for the needles and sinkers are supported and operated by steel shafts carried in frame members which are in turn supported on a main base member of the machine. The bars for the yarn feeding elements are also supported and operated by shafts for rocking movement through the needles. in addition the latter bars are supported on their shafts for shogging movements lengthwise of the bars for the needles and sinkers. These shogging movements are caused by pattern means mounted on the base member at one end thereof and against which an end of the bar is held by spring pressure. In such warp knitting machine particularly of the tricot type, which operates at high speeds, sufficient heat is generated by the operating parts to cause an increase in the temperature of the machine which is considerably above the normal room temperature in which the machine is operated. This increase in temperature heretofore caused linear expansion in the machine with consequent linear movements of the bars for the elements relative to each other resulting in misalignment of the elements and damage thereto. This misalignment was further aggravated by linear expansion of the base structure which caused a movement of the bars for the yarn feeding elements toward one end of the machine While the bars for the needles and sinkers, which are connected to their operating mechanisms at different points along their length, expanded linearly toward the opposite ends thereof.

in attempts to overcome misalignment of the various elements caused by linear expansion, the bars for the elements have heretofore been constructed of a metal having a very low coefiicient of expansion such as Invar which is an alloy steel having a high percentage of nickel. Also the bars for the sinkers and needles have been con nected to each other, to maintain their lengthwise relation, at a point midway between the ends thereof. In attempts to overcome the relative linear movement of the bars due to the movement of the pattern means, which controls the position of the bars for the yarn feeding elements, with the base member, the shaft supporting the bar for the. sinkers was connected to and held at the end of the base structure on which the pattern means is mounted. As a result the linear movement of the bars for the needles and sinkers, the two being connected together as explained above, was in the same direction as the bars for the yarn feeding elements. However, by so holding the shaft for the sinker bar, the linear movement of the shaft away from thepattern means built up sufiicient stress in the 2,941,386 Patented June 21, 1960" arms connecting the sinker bar to the shaft as to move the bars for the needles and sinkers in the same direction as the shaft and relative thereto, which again caused misalignment of the parts.

It is therefore an object'of the invention to provide means to overcome the above mentioned and other de-' fects, occurring in high speed warp knitting and like machines a-nd which affect the normal operating relation of the knitting and yarn feeding elements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in a warp or tricot knitting machine for controlling the linear movements of the knitting and yarn feeding elements caused by an increase in the temperature of the machine during operation thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining the knitting and yarn feeding elements in normal operating relation, which means acts to mini-- mize or eliminate the stresses in the supporting means for the knitting elements caused by adverse linear movements of the operating and supporting structure of the machine.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a warp knitting machine having mechanism according to the instant invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale similar to a portion of the left end of the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line 3-4? of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on a further enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 3 as viewed in the direction of the arrows 5-5 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view of the mechanism of Fig. 4 as viewed in the direction of the arrow A;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7--'7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8--3 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 2 but with the needles and bar therefor omitted;

Fig. 10 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the mechanism as seen from the left of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 1212 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a view on an enlarged scale, partially in cross section and the line ll313 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectonal view taken in the (llI'ECtlOIIf and center frames supporting eccentric shafts 25, 26'

and 27 which are driven by gearing (not shown) from a drive shaft St). The machine illustrated is of the type having a row of spring beard needles 31 which are supported in spaced relation on a bar 32, sinkers 35 carried on a bar 36 for movement in the spaces between the needles, and a prcsser member 37 for closing thep'artially in elevation and taken on:

, which are pivotally mounted on eccentric portions of the shaft 27. Each lever 45 has an arm pivotally connected centrally of a link 46 the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected to straps'lhnd 50 pivotally mounted on eccentric portions carried on the eccentric shafts 25 and 26, respectively (Figs. 3 and 5). With this arrangementthe needles 31 are moved through their required path through the combined actions of the eccentric portions of the shafts 25, 26 and 27.

- The bar 36 for the sinkers 35 is carried on a series of arms, one of which is shown at 51, the arms being carried in fixed relation on a steel shaft 52 mounted for pivotal movement in bearing members 55 secured to the end and center frames of the machine (Figs. 1, 2, and 11). Certain of the arms 51 are pivotally connected to levers 56 which are mounted on an eccentric portion of the shaft 26 (Fig. 2). The bar 40 for the presser member 37 is carried on levers which are mounted on and operated by eccentric portions (not shown) of the shafts 25, 26 and 27 to close the beards of the needles 31. The bars 42 for the guide members 41 are mounted for rocking movements through the needles 31 and for longitudinal shogging movement along the row of needles in arms 43 carried on a shaft 44 supported in the framework of the machine. For this shogging movement each of the bars 42 carries a follower element 54 which is spring pressed against and operated by a cam, the cam for the front bar 42 being shown at 57 (Fig. 2). The cams form a part of the usual pattern means for shogging the bars 42 indicated generally at 58 (Fig. 2), the pattern means being mounted in a housing 60 secured to the base 20 in'fixed relation to the left end frame 21. Theconstruction and operation of the foregoing parts form no part of the instant invention and they are shown and described for illustrative purposes only.

In order to maintain the needles 31 and sinkers 35 in correct alignment, the bar 32 for the needles and the bar 36 for the sinkers are held in fixed relation relative to each other. For this purpose a bracket 61 is secured to the bar 36 substantially midway between the ends thereof. The bracket 61 is provided with hub portions 62 each of which threadably carries a bolt 65, the hub portions having a split formation by means of which the bolts are clamped in adjusted position therein (Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8). The bolts 65 are provided with head portions 66 which are adapted to slidably engage enlarged head or flange portions 67 of studs 70 carried in arms 71 of a bracket 72 secured to the bar 32.

Conventionally the base member 20 is constructed of cast iron and the operating shafts and supporting bars for the various loop forming elements are constructed of cold-rolled steel having a low carbon content, both the cast iron and steel materials having a high coefficient of linear expansion for each degree Fahrenheit of temperature increase. During high speed operation of the machine sufiicient heat is generated by the operating parts to increase the temperature of the machine as much as twenty degrees above room temperature. This increase in temperature causes linear expansion of the cast iron base and the steel shafts and bars of sufficient extent to cause misalignment of the loop forming and yarn feeding elements, Heretofore, as previously men tioned, in attempts to overcome this misalignment, the supporting bars for the elements were constructed of a metal such as Invar having a coefiicient of linear expansion only approximately one-sixth that of the cast iron and steel materials of the base member and shafts, and the operating levers for the bars were carried in floating relation on the eccentric portions of the shafts 25, 26 and 27. Also the shaft 52 having, the arms 51 for supporting the bar 36 was anchored against axial movement at the left end frame 21 adjacent to the housing 60 for the pattern means 58. While the latter maintained the left end of the shaft 52 in substantially correct relation to the housing 60 during linear movements of the base 20, the linear expansion in the shaft itself was entirely toward the right and away from the left end frame, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 9. This linear expansion of the shaft 52 caused progressively increased movement of the arms 51 relative to the bar 36 which set up stresses in the arms of such extent as to move both the bars 32 and 36 in the same direction as the linear movement of the shaft, thereby continuing the misalignment of the needles 31 and sinkers 35 relative to the yarn guides 41.

in order to eliminate the adverse stresses in the arms 51 caused by the linear expansion of the steel shaft 52 according to the instant invention, the shaft 52 is mounted for floating movement in the bearing members 55, to permit linear movement of the shaft in both directions relative to the bar 36. At the same time the shaft is maintained in fixed relation with respect to the housing 6t during linear movements of the base 20 as will now be explained (see Figs. 9 to 14). The shaft 52 is provided with a central opening or hollow center 75 to receive a rod 76 having one end thereof secured to the shaft by a bolt 77 at a point substantially midway between the ends of the shaft (Figs. 9, l2 and 14) which is also the approximate lengthwise center of the bars 32 and 36. Adjacent the bolt 77 the rod 76 carries four roundheaded screws 8%) which are spaced equi-distant around the circumference of the rod and which are adapted to engage the-inner surface of the shaft 52 to centralize the rod within the opening 75 (Figs. 13 and 14). At its opposite end the rod 76 is supported in a bearing portion 81 of a bracket 82 which is secured by bolts 35 to the left end frame 21, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The rod 76 is held in fixed axial relationship to the bracket 82 and frame 21 by engagement of collars 36, fixed on the rod, with opposite end faces of the hearing portion 81 (Fig. 11).

Preferably the rod 76 is constructed of the metal alloy Invar and has only an inconsequential amount of linear movement when subjected to the same temperature variations as the base 20 and shaft 52. Therefore, during any linear movements of the base 20 the rod 76 will function to bodily move the shaft 52 axially of the bearings 55. Expanding movement in the follower elements 54 displaces the left ends of the bars 42 toward the right from the left frame 21 and housing 60 and expanding movement of the rod 76 displaces the left ends of the bars 32 and 36 to substantially the same extent toward the right from the left frame and housing to thereby maintain the needles 31 and sinkers 35 in substantially exact alignment with the yarn guide members 41. Further, by connecting the rod 76 to the center of the shaft 52, any linear expansion in the shaft will be from the center outwardly toward both ends thereof and such stresses asare set up in the arms 51 by the expansion of the shaft will be equalized and will not adversely aifect the position of the bars 32 and 36 relative to the shaft.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. in a warp knitting machine having a base structure, needles, sinkers, yarn feeding elements, bars on which said needles, sinkers and yarn feeding elements are mounted, means for supporting said bar for said yarn feeding elements in said base structure for rocking movements and for shogging movements in a direction lengthwise of said bar, pattern means supported at one end of said base structure for shogging said bar for said yamfeeding elements, means for connecting said bars for said needles to said bar for said sinkers to maintain said bars against endwise movement relative to each other, a shaft for supporting said bar for said sinkers, and means for mounting said shaft in said base structure for rocking movements, in combination with means for controlling the lengthwise position of said bars for said needles and sinkers, including a rod, means for connecting one end of said rod to said shaft and means for connecting the other end of said rod to said base structure at said one end thereof.

2. In a warp knitting machine having a base structure, needles, sinkers, yarn feeding elements, bars on which said needles, sinkers and yarn feeding elements are mounted, means for supporting the bar for said yarn feeding elements in said base structure for rocking movements and for shogging movements in directions lengthwise of said bar, pattern means supported on said base structure at one end thereof for shogging said bar for said yarn feeding elements, means for connecting the bar for Said needles to the bar for said sinkers to maintain said bars against endwise movement relative to each other, a shaft for supporting said bar for said sinkers, and means for mounting said shaft in said base structure for rocking movements, in combination with means for controlling the lengthwise position of said shaft in said mounting means, including a rod, means for connecting one end of said rod to said shaft at a point midway between the ends thereof, and means for connecting the other end of said rod to said base structure at said one end thereof.

3. In a warp knitting machine having a base structure, needles, sinkers, yarn feeding elements, bars on which said needles, sinkers, and yarn feeding elements are mounted, means for supporting the bar for said yarn feeding elements in said base structure for rocking movements and for shogging movements lengthwise of said bar, means supported on said base structure at one end thereof for shogging said bar for said yarn feeding elements, means for connecting the bar for said needles to the bar for said sinkers to maintain said bars against endwise movement relative to each other, a shaft having a central opening extending lengthwise thereof on which said bar for said sinkers is supported, and means for mounting said shaft in said base structure, in combination with means for controlling the lengthwise position of said shaft in said mounting means, including a rod extending into the central opening in said shaft, means for connecting one end of said rod to said shaft, and means for connecting the other end of said rod to said base structure at said one end of said base structure.

4. In a warp knitting machine having a base structure,

needles, sinkers, yarn feeding elements, bars on which said needles, sinkers and yarn feeding elements are mounted, means for supporting the bar for said yarn feeding elements in said base structure for rocking movements and for shogging movements lengthwise of said bar, means supported on said base structure at one end thereof for shogging said bar for said yarn feeding elements, means for connecting the bar for said needles to the bar for said sinkers to maintain said bars against endwise movement relative to each other, a shaft having a central opening extending lengthwise thereof on which said bar for said sinkers is supported, and means for mounting said shaft in said base structure, in combination I with means for controlling the lengthwise position of said shaft in said mounting means, including a rod extending into the central opening in said shaft, means on one end of said rod for centralizing said rod within said opening in said shaft, means for connecting said one end of said rod to said shaft, and means for connecting the other end of said rod to said base structure at the same end thereof as said shogging means.

5. In a warp knitting machine having a base structure, needles, sinkers, yarn feeding elements, bars on which said needles, sinkers and yarn feeding elements are mounted, means for supporting the bar for said yarn feeding means in said base structure for rocking movements and for shogging movements in directions lengthwise of said bar, means for shogging said bar for said yam feeding elements supported on said base structure at one end thereof, means for connecting the bar for said needles to the bar for said sinkers to maintain said bars against endwise movement relative to each other, a shaft on which said bar for said sinkers is supported, and means for mounting said shaft in said base structure for rocking movements, in combination with means for controlling the lengthwise position of said shaft in said mounting means, including a rod, means for connecting one end of said rod to said shaft, means for connecting the other end of said rod to said base structure at said one end thereof, said shaft being of steel having a relative high coefficient of linear expansion when subjected to temperature variations and said rod being of an alloy steel having a high percentage of nickel and having a relatively low coefficient of linear expansion when subjected to the same temperature variations as said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,273,246 Anderson Feb. 17, 1942 2,308,730 Wei-sbecker Jan. 19, 1943 2,816,425 Kaufmann Dec. 17, 1957 

